Grant Morrison: The Early Years - Part III: "Doom Patrol"

[andy khouri]

CBR News presents the final part of an extended interview with scholar Timothy Callahan, author of "Grant Morrison: The Early Years," an exhaustive analytical look at Morrison's late '80s and early '90s work.

http://www.comicbookresources.com/news/newsitem.cgi?id=11089

[diablo7]

i've always felt that morrison's animalman and doompatrol were great great silverage type stories...until all star superman...still ,great wierd concepts

[Aaron King]

I really like these interviews. I'll probably end up buying this book/these books.

[sabongero]

i've always felt that morrison's animalman and doompatrol were great great silverage type stories...until all star superman...still ,great wierd concepts

I am sorry to ask as I am not familiar with any of Morrison's early works as I have only recently started reading comics since the mid 80s.

What were the great weird concepts of Morrison's Animal Man and Doom Patrol. I'd really appreciate the answer to this and a few additional info as well. Thanks.

[dancj]

What were the great weird concepts of Morrison's Animal Man and Doom Patrol. I'd really appreciate the answer to this and a few additional info as well. Thanks.

The way the concepts in Animal Man are revealed is a huge part of the book so I won't spoil those for you.

In Doom Patrol, the whole book was about mad ideas (before Morrison had coined the phrase) - MINOR SPOILERS ALERT
There was a villain called Agent None (IIRC) who was a kind of non-existent embodiment of sods law.
Another one had every super power you haven't thougt of.
The leader of the team they were in always looked as if you were seeing him in the corner of your eye.
One of the team, Crazy Jane had multiple personality disorder with dozens of identities - each one with a different power.
Flex Mentallo has the same origin as Charles Atlas and when he flexes his muscles the words "Hero of the Beach" appear above his head"
The team's headquarters was a transvestite street called Danny that could slip into any town.

It goes on......

[sabongero]

The way the concepts in Animal Man are revealed is a huge part of the book so I won't spoil those for you.

In Doom Patrol, the whole book was about mad ideas (before Morrison had coined the phrase) - MINOR SPOILERS ALERT
There was a villain called Agent None (IIRC) who was a kind of non-existent embodiment of sods law.
Another one had every super power you haven't thougt of.
The leader of the team they were in always looked as if you were seeing him in the corner of your eye.
One of the team, Crazy Jane had multiple personality disorder with dozens of identities - each one with a different power.
Flex Mentallo has the same origin as Charles Atlas and when he flexes his muscles the words "Hero of the Beach" appear above his head"
The team's headquarters was a transvestite street called Danny that could slip into any town.

It goes on......

dancj thanks for the information. It is very much appreciated. However, as I am not familiar with Animal Man other than his space exploits in 52, may I ask the spoilers concepts you posted above. I would really like to know if you would advise. Thanks.

[dancj]

dancj thanks for the information. It is very much appreciated. However, as I am not familiar with Animal Man other than his space exploits in 52, may I ask the spoilers concepts you posted above. I would really like to know if you would advise. Thanks.

Well okay, but I really recommend that you don't read these spoilers. Animal Man is a classic and not knowing adds a huge amount to the story....

Animal Man - from around about the end of the first volume coming to a big head at the end of the third is a big meta fictional adventure. The story touches on the fates of characters wiped from continuity by the original Crisis on Infinite Earths and Buddy's gradual discovery that he's a fictional character, which in the end result in him meeting Grant Morrison in the final issue.

The story isn't all about concepts though. It has some of the most emotional stuff that I've ever seen in a comic - which I'm not going to spoil for you because it's too damn good!

[sabongero]

Well okay, but I really recommend that you don't read these spoilers. Animal Man is a classic and not knowing adds a huge amount to the story....

Animal Man - from around about the end of the first volume coming to a big head at the end of the third is a big meta fictional adventure. The story touches on the fates of characters wiped from continuity by the original Crisis on Infinite Earths and Buddy's gradual discovery that he's a fictional character, which in the end result in him meeting Grant Morrison in the final issue.

The story isn't all about concepts though. It has some of the most emotional stuff that I've ever seen in a comic - which I'm not going to spoil for you because it's too damn good!

Dancj so this is all on three trade paperbacks of Animal Man right ?

[MartinRedmond]

Doom Patrol is way more fun. Animal Man is an Arts & Litterature student project with lots of nods nods wink wink at the comics industry and "I'm a writer writing stories with my writing writing!!! Aren't I clever?" wink wink. I can't stand that series. D8m Patrol on the other hand is just no nonsense fun.

[Punch]

Doom Patrol is probably my least favorite Grant Morrison project(at least it was before his current Batman run, and I haven't read Seven Soldiers and a few of his earlier works)
I'm sure I would have liked it more if I had read it when it originally came out.

[king mob]

No mention of 'Zoids'?

[dancj]

Dancj so this is all on three trade paperbacks of Animal Man right ?
What I talk about starts in the tail end of the first trade and goes on to the end of the third.

[ChairthrowerLad]

Doom Patrol is way more fun. Animal Man is an Arts & Litterature student project with lots of nods nods wink wink at the comics industry and "I'm a writer writing stories with my writing writing!!! Aren't I clever?" wink wink. I can't stand that series. D8m Patrol on the other hand is just no nonsense fun.

I never really got that impression from Animalman. To me, Coyote Gospel is one of the most moving comics I have ever read, and those three trades are some of my favorites. I have reread them like 20 times each.


But....I am a Morrison-ophile, so I really like everything he puts out.